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EQUESTRIAN: A landmark win as Jessica goes Global

WILTSHIRE teenager Jessica Mendoza has clinched her first four-star showjumping title in Belgium.

The 18 year old, from Tockenham, won on the Longines Global Champions Tour in Antwerp.

Riding Spirit T, Mendoza took the CSI4* 1.50m class with the fastest (of 17 clear rounds) in a time of 55.47 seconds.

She shaved 0.03 seconds off the time of nearest rival, fellow British rider, Tim Gredley with Unex Omega Star.

“It was my first four-star and I knew I had to go quick to win. I am thrilled with Spirit. She jumped an amazing round,” said Mendoza.

The other British riders in the class finished down the field, with Louise Saywell on eight faults and Nick Skelton on 12.

Mendoza, who has set her sights on European selection this year, was also the top Brit in the 1.45 ranking class, finishing in sixth place on Ramiro de Bellevue.

Marlborough-based world number one Andrew Nicholson saw his revived hopes of completing the £230,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing abruptly ended at the Rolex Kentucky event in the United States.

Nicholson’s bid was back on after world equestrian chiefs confirmed the disqualification of his New Zealand compatriot Jonathan Paget from last year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials after his horse Clifton Promise tested positive for the banned substance reserpine.

Nicholson was now formally promoted to become 2013 Burghley champion, winning it for a second successive year with Avebury.

The Grand Slam is awarded to any rider that wins consecutive Burghley, Kentucky and Badminton titles, but Nicholson’s hopes ended as Avebury dropped from seventh place to 21st after having six showjumping fences down .

British eventer William Fox-Pitt won his third Rolex Kentucky title in five years on Bay My Hero.

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